


Not Exactly a Hundred

by Sclerophyllous



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Natsume and his Nonhuman Squad™, Youkai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25784326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sclerophyllous/pseuds/Sclerophyllous
Summary: Natsume is Natsume. Thus, he finds a way to get dragged into the Hundred Demons' Night Parade. However, it does not seem too bad to spend a night celebrating with friends, even if he will get an earful from his bodyguard later.
Relationships: Natsume Takashi & Youkai
Comments: 13
Kudos: 94





	Not Exactly a Hundred

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I'll post the next chapter of my other work soon. For now, have more of the best boy hanging out with youkai (Because humans are hard to write when they're not surrounded by demons).

It was an absolutely ordinary day, for once in Takashi's life. No aggressive youkai pushing him off of the bridge or chasing him through the forest; just a line of Ten knocking on his window to get their names back and subsequently stealing the taiyaki he was saving for Nyanko-sensei's return from his seemingly daily sake party.

Upon second thought, his perception of normality appeared to be slightly skewed.

Speak of the devil, or whatever other being lay beneath the earth's surface, for at that moment the fat bakeneko squeezed through the window the boy had left ajar (When had that become a habit?), reeking of alcohol.

"Naaatsumeee... I did _not_ just see a bunch of weasels running away from the direction of this house with some _delicious_ -looking taiyaki, did I?"

His speech was slurred, and he was toddling even more than usual. Takashi sighed and lifted the futon blanket, allowing the cat to stumble underneath it.

"Oh, lock all the doors and windows tonight, and don't go outsiiiiide..."

The last word dragged on as his so-called bodyguard lost consciousness, being cut off by a sharp snore as he rolled on to his back, scratching himself with his hind leg.

What did he mean by that statement? Surely there could not be anything more dangerous than what he had already been encountering, could there? The boy sat at his desk, flipping through his finished homework half-heartedly when Touko-san called him from downstairs.

"Takashi-kun, would you mind going to pick up some eggs from the store? I'll be making omurice tonight, but I'm afraid we've run out."

"Yep! I'll get going now!"

He stood up, grabbing the Book of Friends and slotting it into his bag. He checked the clock. 5:45. That should be enough time to get the eggs before sunset, right? 

He patted the bakeneko's head before stepping out of his room to leave.

"I'll be right back, sensei."

With that, he shut the door.

•

The shopping trip was uneventful, but it was what he saw on the way back that caught his attention. 

Steadily approaching in the distance, shrouded in lilac mist, was a giant line of youkai, and along with them came a _lot_ of noise.

The scenery was tinted blue and darkening quickly. It seemed he took too long.

Takashi ran back to the house as fast as he could without shaking up the eggs, taking off his shoes at the entrance before dropping off his groceries in the kitchen.

"Sorry, Touko-san, but I'll have to go back for something. I won't be out for too long."

Touko-san's concerned gaze was met with his own pleading one, and she nodded.

"I'll tell Shigeru. Be careful."

"I will!"

And with that, he was gone again. Touko sighed to herself. What could he be doing out so late again? She pondered while going back to the pan over the stove. Whatever it was seemed important to him, so as long as he was safe, it should be fine.

•

The procession of youkai had gotten closer. Much, _much_ closer than before. They seemed to be lead by an old man with a ridiculously oblong head, but the boy had already seen too many strange things to be particularly bothered by it. Although short, he emanated a sense of superiority, and Takashi stepped out of the path to let him pass by. The youkai glanced at him inquisitively with a glint in his thin eyes, but said nothing.

The others behind him, though, had much to say (And sometimes yell) about. Constant chatterings and screeches filled his ears as they danced around as if in a parade. Actually, it seemed to very much be a parade. Was this what Nyanko-sensei had ineffectively warned him about? He was about to follow the cat's orders from prior when a familiar voice shouted at him.

"Natsume! Natsume!"

A hand waved frantically at him from behind a cluster of one-eyed monkey-like youkai, who were too preoccupied fighting over a pork bun to care much. The small figure pressed through them, popping out to greet his friend.

"Kai? What are you doing here?"

The water god was dressed in a rich blue yukata, decorated with a scene of branching rivers through clouds and snow. Takashi guessed that it represented his friend's own river back at his mountain. A silver clip shaped like a leaf adorned his blue-grey hair, and an aura surrounded him that made him resemble a deity much more than the last time they met.

"What do you mean? I should be asking that! This is the night parade, Natsume! Humans shouldn't be around!"

Then, the realisation struck him. Countless youkai banding together in the human world to wreak havoc; it was _the_ Night Parade of a Hundred Demons he had been warned about.

He had heard more about the parade from a superstitious couple he had lived with at some point. Something about how any humans who ended up participating were killed? That did not sound good.

"How dangerous is it for me to stay around? I should probably let you continue with the others..."

Kai let out a short laugh.

"No, silly! You're under _my_ protection, now. Nobody's allowed to hurt you without incurring my WRATH!"

He emphasised this by pumping his fist in the air, startling the monkey youkai from before, who had finally come to an agreement regarding the pork bun. 

"Plus,"

The god dug through his yukata, pulling out an ornate white mask with smooth engravings and small, curved horns.

"You can have this! I wasn't planning on wearing it, anyway."

As the boy took the mask from the other's hands, new voices arose from the crowd.

"Na-Tsu-Meee!"

"Natsume-dono! Natsume-dono!"

"Natsume!"

Figures accompanied the voices as the self-proclaimed Dog's Circle came into view, all wearing vibrant traditional dress and holding various foods and beverages.

"Oh, Natsume~! What a pleasure to have you here with us tonight! You just can't keep away, can you?"

Hinoe's violet hair was tied up at the back, with her favourite silver pin clipping it up. She wore the same flowery kimono as always, but it was plenty lavish enough already to fit in. She was once again smoking from her pipe, and in her other hand she held a colourful ribboned fan.

From behind her, the Chuukyuu, Kappa, Benio, Chobi, and many smaller youkai approached. Takashi swore he saw Misuzu hovering above them in the late evening sky.

"Now, now, Natsume. Don't dawdle. We _have_ got all night, but I would like to have some fun."

Benio's jewelled butterfly mask glittered with the lanterns as she moved her head to beckon the Chuukyuu closer.

"We have even brought you some appropriate garments, because there is no way you are _not_ joining us tonight."

Before he knew it, he was being forcibly shoved into a light green yukata by at least three of his friends, and the horned mask in his hands had been moved to his face.

"Oh, Natsume-dono! You look like a true guardian of Yatsuhara now!"

"True! True!"

Guardian of Yatsuhara? It seemed new titles were being thrown on him every time he revisited the youkai. He adjusted the mask nervously.

"So... What do we do, now?"

"Well, party, of course! This is a parade!"

•

Many things happened in the span of a few hours. Takashi met with friends both old and new, spending the night talking and reminiscing. He had also been informed that many powerful youkai had given him their blessings, including names he recognised like Riou, Hakuhi, Mikatake, and Mibu, and some that he did not.

A group had formed around him, chatting, singing, and drinking while all trying to engage him in conversation. His mask had been lifted up at some point, and he was taking small bites of a piece of manjuu he was offered while laughing and walking along.

It seemed all too soon when a large white beast twisted down towards him from the sky, his cat vessel form appearing as he landed.

"Natsume! What did I tell you?! It's almost sunrise, you idiot!"

As Nyanko-sensei said, the blackness of the night had grown lighter, and the first signs of the dawn peeked over the trees where the lantern light did not reach.

As Takashi searched his surroundings, he found that the procession had travelled further than he expected, and they were situated somewhere around the end of Yatsuhara forest, near his friend Tanuma's temple. Any barriers placed up had probably long been destroyed by the overwhelming amount of energy pulsing out from every youkai.

"If you want to leave, you'd usually have to chant some nasty exorcists' spell, but since you were invited in, just ask your oversized stuffed toy to carry you back."

The aforementioned bakeneko mumbled something derogative about river gods that Takashi did not quite catch while shifting back into his true form, but Kai seemed to, sticking his tongue out at him. 

The boy hopped on to Nyanko-sensei's white back with a little effort, waving at the other youkai suddenly much further below as his bodyguard raised his canine head. The beast and him rose into the air, flying over the parade until they reached the front, after which the purple mist vanished, leaving the two in the fresh early morning wind. 

As the youkai landed a few metres away from the temple's entrance, Takashi stumbled on to the road, nearly tripping on his long yukata. Approaching, he once again caught sight of the long-headed old man, who smiled at him. 

"You're quite the peculiar human, boy. I hope you had fun."

He blinked twice, and all the youkai of the parade had vanished, leaving him alone with the waking chirps of birds, the last remnants of the scent of smoke and a very grumpy and tired cat. 

The door of the temple slid open, revealing Tanuma gripping his head and wincing. He looked up at Takashi, spending a good few seconds processing the scene and rubbing his eyes before scrambling forward.

"N-Natsume? What are you doing here?"

The shorter of the two smiled sheepishly, sliding off the mask Kai gave him and brushing off the dust on his traditional clothes.

"Sorry for the intrusion. I-I'll tell you later? Right now, could I just-"

He was cut off as a wave of exhaustion hit him, a night spent walking non-stop finally catching up to him. His friend rushed forward to stop him from falling, but by then, everything was already black.

•

Takashi woke up in an unfamiliar room, with a familiar weight on his stomach. He was still in the yukata from the night before, and Tanuma hovered over him worriedly. He tried to sit up, but lay back down when his head throbbed with the sudden movement, assisted by the stubby paws of the cat on him.

"Natsume! Don't move too much. You have a fever."

He smiled weakly at his kindness.

"Thanks, Tanuma."

The boy returned to the Fujiwara's later that day, Nyanko-sensei having snuck in earlier to drop off the yukata, mask, and every other trinket his charge had received. He took a day off school to recover, allowing Touko and Shigeru to fuss over him for as long as they liked. 

•

It was only a few days after when Takashi learnt that Nurarihyon, the long-headed old man, had such immense power that even humans with the spiritual energy levels of exorcist clan heads could barely handle his presence.

•

**Author's Note:**

> A NatsuYuu fanfiction cannot be complete without Natsume passing out or getting sick at the end.
> 
> I was trying to research Nurarihyon but all I'm getting are images of some anime boy? What is this??
> 
> *Sobbing
> 
> Glossary, I think:
> 
> \- Ten: A common name for Itachi; marten spirits.  
> \- Taiyaki: Bean fish.  
> \- Omurice: Omelettes and fried rice. Very tasty.  
> \- The one-eyed monkeys are Yamawaro, the mountain equivalent of Kappa.  
> \- Riou: The lord of the forest who took on the shape of a black Nyanko-sensei in one story.  
> \- Hakuhi: The name given to the white owl youkai in the special episode.  
> \- Mikatake: The elderly dragon that Shiro and Ake were fighting to succeed.  
> \- Mibu: The lord that Asagi played the koto for in the Isozuki forest.
> 
> Heehee I hope you catch what the ending is implying.
> 
> Winkwinkwink.
> 
> Tell me what you think of this piece in the comments!


End file.
